Have we got a busy next couple of weeks for you! We could even call it an… April Shower of Events!

But first, a few quick news bits.

We’ve got our sales carts ready—including one for poetry since it’s National Poetry Month. Weather depending, they’ll be outside or somewhere in the store. Regardless of where you find them, they are a treasure of great prices on books!

And if you’re feeling like you want to shower some literary gifts, we still have the donation box for Worcester, The City That Reads. The box will be by the register through May 15. Donate new or gently used books for PreK through 8th Grade, and they will be distributed to Worcester students for summer reading. To find out more, check out www.worcesterreads.org.

Lastly, thank you to everyone who came out this weekend to our Phantom of the Opera Celebration! We had a wonderful time talking trivia, Lon Chaney, and many ways books, movies, television, and more have imagined our favorite Opera Ghost! Special thanks to author Paul McMahon for his presentation on Lon Chaney!

Poets Suzanne Reynolds-Alpert, Morgan Sylvia, doungjai gam, and Trisha J. Wooldridge will be reading at 6:30, 7:15, 8:00, and 8:45 with open mic segments in between each featured poet. Sign up early for reading slots, and the open mic starts at 6pm SHARP!

Bring your favorite dark poetry for this Friday the 13th celebration of verse!

From the author of Bleed and The Rib From Which I Remake the World comes a triptych of historical horror novellas. A pair of Texas oil men strike something more valuable than crude that turns avarice to murder—and summons something that should never have been awakened—in “Black’s Red Gold.” In “Kennon Road,” a disillusioned American corporal stationed in Baguio in the wake of the Philippine-American War discovers the gruesome truth behind the Filipino legend of the man-eating Manananggal. And on the lonesome desert highways of the American Southwest, a trucker befriends a haunted, hitchhiking Vietnam veteran with whom she confronts the horrors waiting in the hills and caves to feed in “Deadheader.” Monsters both human and otherworldly converge in Ed Kurtz’s At the Mercy of Beasts.

Nancy Schön is best known in Massachusetts for her “Make Way for Ducklings,” based on the beloved children’s book, sculpture in the Boston Public Garden and her “The Tortoise and the Hare” in Boston’s Copley Square, which greets Boston Marathon runners as they cross the finish line. She’s done many other public sculptures based on children’s literature. “Sal’s Bear” graces Maine’s Botanical Gardens, as do “Lentil and His Dog” in Hamilton, Ohio. Each of them posed unique challenges and each generated original, unforgettable results. She explains what goes into making a beautiful and tactile work of public art, from the wax maquettes to the casting in bronze, from dealing with budgets and logistics to the diplomacy required for dealing with public places and elected officials. Her story encourages anyone trying to express themselves, whether artist, athlete, dancer, musician or writer, for she demonstrates that drive and determination (when coupled with an undeniable talent) can overcome any roadblock and produce remarkable results.

April Vacation Week Drop-in Crafts (Children must be accompanied by an adult):

Annie’s Book Stop of Worcester hosts their monthly Doctor Who Talk on Thursday, April 19, from 7:00-8:00 PM. ABSW has a sizable representation of Doctor Who merchandise, and owner Patty Cryan is a long-time fan of the series—the world’s longest running science fiction serial! This month, as we celebrate “April is the Cruellest Month,” we are looking at the Eldritch Monsters who have plagued the Doctor through Classic and New Who! Which are your favorite indescribable, unspeakable horrors?

Our April discussion book is Small Change by Roan Parrish. Join us to talk about this wonderful book and eat some tasty snacks! Copies of the book are available to purchase at Annie’s Book Stop of Worcester. Small Change is the first in a series that is set in the Middle of Somewhere universe. It features crossover characters from that series but stands on its own. The Small Change series will include M/F and M/M romances.

Spinning Yarns Craft and Audiobook Social, every Monday 7:00 PM (except for when the Free People’s Artists Workshop meets the fourth Monday of the month). Bring a craft and enjoy an audiobook or audio drama with other crafty booklovers!

The Free People’s Artists Workshop, the fourth Monday of each month from 7:00-9:00 PM. Networking and feedback from other artists and creators of all types. Co-sponsored by the Worcester County Poetry Association. Next meeting is April 23.

Doctor Who Discussion Nights, the third Thursday of every month from 7:00 – 8:00 PM. Join us for a discussion of our favorite science fiction series. Next meeting is April 19.

The Rainbow Readers of Massachusetts is an LGBTQIA book club that will meet once a month, usually on the third Saturdays, from 6:00-8:00 PM. Next meeting April 16.